Bound Together
by Jess.91
Summary: AU teenfic. When Victor left, he took Prue and Phoebe, leaving Piper and Paige with their mum and Grams. Now Piper, 16, Paige, 14, set out on a mission to find the other half of their family.
1. Vanished

OK so here it is, my new story.In the last couple of weeks I keep starting new storys but this is the only one I've managed to write more on, so this is the one that I'm putting up.OK, here it is:

Bound Together

Chapter 1 - Vanished

**Summary: AU teenfic. When Victor left, he took Prue and Phoebe, leaving Piper and Paige with their mum and Grams. Now Piper, 16, Paige, 14, set out on a mission to find the other half of their family.**

_"No, no, please!" Patricia Halliwell begged her now ex-husband, clinging desperately to the arms of two of her daughters. _

_"You can't stop me seeing my daughters." Victor replied. At four and two, Prue and Phoebe were pulled around like rag dolls._

_"They're my daughters too." Patty said desperately. _

_"You don't need them. You have Paige." Victor spat. "You and Sam can have more! Where's Piper?" _

_"She's out with my mother." Patty replied, silently thankful for that small blessing. _

_"I'll be back for her." Victor said, and Patty could smell the alcohol on his breath. He was drunk, and trying to kidnap her daughters. Before Patty could say any more, Victor struck out and hit her hard on the side of her face. Patty fell to the floor, banged her head and slipped out of consciousness. Victor grabbed his oldest and youngest daughter and ran, with only the clothes they were wearing, the picture Prue had drawn that was folded up and in her pocket and the stuffed bear Phoebe had clasped in her arms. And when Penny returned twenty minutes later, she found her daughter knocked out, and two of her granddaughters gone._

_They tried to find them, to trace them, but Victor had vanished from the face of the earth, taking Prudence and Phoebe Halliwell with him. And, until the letter a few weeks ago, the one neither Paige nor Piper had told anyone else about, no one had any idea where they were._

Piper woke up, her youngest sister's face looking down at her worriedly.

"It's time." Paige whispered. Piper threw back the covers, smoothed down the clothes she hadn't bothered to change, and looked at the only sister she had ever really known.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Piper whispered. "You don't have to come... this could be dangerous."

"Please, Piper." Paige whispered. "You think I care about danger? Come on, before Grams wakes up."

Nodding, Piper climbed out of bed and pulled the bag she had packed out from under her bed, picked up her coat. "You have the cash card?" Piper asked her sister, double-checking she had her own. If it wasn't for the money they each had in the bank, the money left to them when their mother had died, they wouldn't have even seriously considered this plan.

"Got it." Paige said. "And the food." She said. "This is so... surreal." She mumbled, as she handed Piper the sandwiches the two of them had made a few hours ago. "Did you write the letter?"

"Yes." Piper whispered, and put the plain white envelope on her pillow. "She'll understand... she'll have to understand, when we bring them home." Piper whispered. Grams' didn't like to talk about Prue and Phoebe, didn't let Piper or Paige talk about finding them. It was a part of her past that was too painful for her to face.

"I'm ready." Piper whispered, pulling on her coat and swinging her bag onto her shoulder. "Let's go."

Pausing in the foyer for one last look at their home, Paige lingered her gaze on the picture on the wall, the only picture of all four Halliwell sisters' together, taken just days before they were kidnapped. The last one of them together, before their family was ripped apart.

"Paige." Piper murmured, and Paige turned and stepped out into the cool night air. "We will find them." Piper said, only the tiniest trace of doubt in her voice. Paige nodded, softly closed the door behind them and followed her big sister into the night.

**OK so it's short but it's just the first, so let me know what you think...**


	2. Stuck There, Forever

Thanks you all for the amazing feedback. I wasn't sure anyone would even read it. Oh, and please note that bits may not make sense, especially the timeline, but you'll all forgive me, right?

Chapter 2 - Stuck There, Forever

A million doubts had now surfaced in Piper's mind, and she was close to regretting this whole idea. No matter what they'd written in the letter they'd left Grams, she was sure to call the police, right? And she and Paige didn't even know exactly where they were heading, exactly which direction it was. All they had was an address written on a piece of notepaper.

It had arrived almost two weeks before, a ripped piece of lined paper in a cheap white envelope. The only words written were the address, some place in Los Angeles. But it was the picture that made them realise who it was. Four stick people, all with dark hair, stood in front of a pink house. Each stick person was labelled with a name... Prue, Piper, Phoebe, Paige. And so, the plan was born.

They would fly to L.A, find the house and meet their sisters. Victor, their mother had once told them, was violent, and drank often. So now they knew where to go, Piper and Paige could rescue them, save them from the clutches of the violent alcoholic. They'd bring them back to the manor, call the police then, and start chatching up. And everything would go back to how it should be.

At least, that was the more optimistic version. And as a pair of pessimists, Piper and Paige both had worries.

Paige was shivering, Piper noted, and she felt guilty for bringing her baby sister into this. Hadn't she promised her mum she'd looked after Paige? Half-sisters or not, they were closer than any others could be.

"Are you OK?" Piper whispered, glancing around again to make sure no one saw them. It was five in the morning, the airport was an hours walk away. Their tickets were in Piper's bag, along with their passports. Then they'd find them, Piper was almost sure of it, no matter how crazy this plan was, no matter how many things could go wrong... One day, the four of them would all be back home...

----

In a small bungalow in Los Angeles, Prudence and Phoebe Bennett were sat on the floor in the room they shared. Prue had her arm around her younger sister, holding her close, partly to comfort the fifteen year old and partly to comfort herself. They heard the front door slam, and both breathed easier, but neither let go of the other. Prue had lost count of how many times the two of them had sat like this, clinging to each other in fear, listening, waiting. The last thirteen years had been the same, moving from city to city, state to state, living in filthy apartments, hostels, or small houses like this, until their dad would decide it was time to move again. Both girls had learned a long time ago that when daddy said they were leaving, you just packed up the little things you had and left without arguing.

"He's gone." Prue breathed. "It's OK, Phoebe, he's gone."

"He'll be back." Phoebe mumbled. "He... he always comes back." Prue didn't say anything... what could you say to someone who had only even known this, known fear, known violence. So she just hugged her sister close.

"Prue..." Phoebe murmured shakily. "Tell me, tell me again about before." Prue breathed deeply, then closed her eyes.

"I - I don't remember it so good anymore." Prue replied. Truth was, she was tired of saying the same words over and over, and telling Phoebe about their past just upset them both.

"Please."

"OK... OK... we lived with mum and grams, and Piper. I can remember the day Paige was born, and we were all so happy..." Prue said softly, and she felt Phoebe relax. Ever since they were little, the two of them had done this every time Victor lashed out. Sometimes bleeding, bruised, sometimes just scared, they'd hide in their rooms and talk about before, before all this.

----

Piper looked past her sleeping sister at the clouds rolling by.

"Not long now." She said to Paige, who nodded.

"Piper, do you still remember them?" Paige asked. Piper nodded, noting that this was the first time in a while Paige had asked this question.

"I remember." Piper said softly. As she had always done, she launched into the little speech that was mostly the same each time. "Prue... Prue was always bossing us around. She'd always take charge, she'd choose the games. I was three, and I couldn't stop her." Piper smiled. "But she was my big sister and I loved her. Phoebe was the baby, until you came along. She usually just sat and watched us play, but sometimes we'd let her join in. When you came along, we used to just sit and watch you... mum found it hilarious, we were all amazed by you."

"And - and that day?" Paige prompted. Piper paused for a moment, wondering why Paige wanted to here this again. She didn't usually ask about it, had heard the story only a few times. But Piper gave a little nod, and summoned the memories she had.

"That day, Grams took me and you out to the store. Prue was watching a TV show, and Phoebe... I think Phoebe was asleep. So Grams put you in the buggy and off we went. When we - we came home, she was laying there, like she was asleep. Grams woke her up, and mum was crying and screaming, saying that he'd taken them. Grams put me and you in our room, and I could hear her sobbing. The police came..." Piper screwed her face up in concentration. "I remember mum crying a lot, and Grams crying sometimes, but I think she was trying to stay strong for mum. I remember I asked mum where they were, where they'd gone, and she sat me down and told me."

"What did she say?" Paige asked. She knew the story, it was something she had never forgotton, but she wanted to hear it again, so that it was fresh in her mind, almost like she'd seen it herself.

"She told me that dad had taken them away. She never lied to us, and she told me, not to worry, that she'd get them back soon, and that if I ever, ever saw dad, I was to scream as loud as I could. I think she really believed they were going to find him, and they tried. Every couple of months, they'd call and say someone had seen them in - in Chicago, or - or - or somewhere, but they'd never bring them home. About a year after, she sat me down again, and told me that she didn't know when they'd be home, but she was certain they would be one day. She said that in the meantime, I was the big sister, and I had to look after you."

"And you did." Paige said dreamily.

"I like to think so." Piper smiled. "Now, go to sleep, OK? I'll wake you when we're nearly there."

"OK." Paige said, and laid back.

----

Phoebe had drifted off to sleep, but Prue was wide awake. He hadn't come home yet, but Prue daren't move, not even to switch on the light. So she sat in that dark, thinking about how close they were to home. They were actually in the same state now. She didn't know if Victor had even realised, if he'd brought them here without realising where it was, or if he thought that maybe they'd stopped looking now. Thirteen years was a long, long time. Maybe everyone had forgotten about them. Maybe that's why they hadn't heard from their mum...

It had been Phoebe's idea. Victor sometimes let them outside, and Phoebe had seen the post-box on the end of the street. She'd wanted to write a long letter, but Prue had convinced her not to. What exactly _could _they say? All they'd send was their address. They both knew that if Victor ever found out, he'd kill them. He told them often enough that if they ever tried to escape, he'd find them and he'd kill them. So Phoebe had wrote down the address, Prue had added the picture she'd drawn on the fateful day, and the two of them had posted it one day, nervous and shaking. But it was two weeks ago now, and no one had come. They'd expected their mother to call the police, for the police to burst down the door and take them home. But nothing had happened. Nothing. And Prue tried to convince herself that maybe it hadn't arrived yet, maybe it had gotten lost in the mail. But all the while she just kept thinking that they didn't care anymore, they didn't want them. And so the two of them were stuck here, until he decided otherwise.


	3. All Hope Lost

Thanks again for all the reviews, love you all.

Chapter 3 - Lost Hope

The two of them walked out of the airport, then looked around them warily. Neither had been here before, neither knew where they were going. Piper pulled out the map they'd purchased a few days before, located the street they needed, the one where their family were.

"Now I wish I was better at geography." She stated, looking around again. "I don't even know what street this is."

"Come on, look, the airport's here..." Paige said, pointing at the map. "So we have to go this way..."

-----

Prue watched as the door creaked open, closed her eyes desperatly. If he thought they were asleep he might leave them alone...

"Prue?" He said, in his nice voice. She stayed still and silent, trying to keep her breath steady, eventually just holding it in. "Phoebe? Honey?" She almost hated it more when he acted nice, she knew that this meant he was as drunk as hell, and that meant that when morning came, and with it hang over, everything would be much, much worse.

"Are you alseep?" He said, taking another step into the room. He moved right over to the bed, and she knew he was watching them. But after a few long seconds, she heard him walk out, close the door behind him, and she allowed herself to breathe again. Then, after checking Phoebe was still alseep, she left herself cry, silently. _Why haven't you come, mum, why don't you save us? _

She cried for over and hour, before drifting into an uneasy sleep.

_"Daddy? Daddy, where are we going?" Prue asked, clinging onto Phoebe in the back seat of Daddy's car. He hadn't strapped them in, and he was driving fast. The two of them were flying all over the place. "Daddy?" he ignored her again. "Daddy, I want mummy, I want to go home!" Prue cried, and she flinched when he started shouting at her._

_"You're living with me now, and I want you to forget all about mummmy and grams." He said, his voice dripping with hate that the four year old didn't recognise. _

_"What about Piper?" Prue asked tearfully._

_"I... maybe we'll come back for Piper. Maybe we wont. Don't - don't think about it!"_

_"I want mummy!" Prue cried again._

_"Tough! Mummy's dead!" He yelled, and Prue cried harder._

She woke with a start, the realisation burning into her mind. _Mummy's dead. _had he killed her? She remembered him hitting her, remembered her mum falling to the floor. But she'd always thought he was lying, that her mum would come and save them...

But she must be dead. Her mother was dead.

"He killed her." Prue whispered into the darkness. "He killed her..."

----

Paige looked out of the window of the bus, trying her best to ignore the travel-sickness starting in the bottom of her stomach. Beside her, Piper was studying the map again, triple checking they were heading the right way. Paige still had the paper clasped in her hands, the one with the address written on it. She'd only been a baby when they were taken, she didn't remember anything about either of them. All she knew was what she'd been told... techniacally, she was doing this whole thing to save strangers.

_No._ She told herself. She might not remember them, but blood is blood and they were her sisters.

She looked down at the words again, wondering who's handwriting it was. _17 Sycamore Place._ The letters were slightly spiked, untidy, like it had been written in a hurry. Paige had heard all the stories, of how Victor had drank a lot, hit out a lot. She wondered if he treated Prue and Phoebe the same way she'd been told her treated their mother. Wondered if her sisters lived in fear, covered in bruises. Wondered if... if they were both even still alive. She banished the thought from her head, and instead wondered if they'd gotten it wrong, and Prue and Phoebe were perfectly happy, living with Victor in a nice big house.

"Piper?" She said quietly, wishing buses were a bit more private. "Do you think they remember us? That they even know about us?"

"I'm sure of it. Prue was four, she has to remember us." Piper replied.

"What if they're OK with him, if they're happy?"

"Either way, I'm sure they'll be happy to see us, even if they don't want to go home with us. They sent the address, didn't they?"

"They sent it to mum, though. It was addressed to her. Maybe they just wanted her to know they were alive -"

"So why send an address? Paige..." Piper hesitated, then took hold of her sister's hand. "I know you're scared. So am I. They might not want to see us, much less come home with us. But at least then we'll know. And, no matter what, me and you, we'll always have each other. Remember that, OK?"

"I will." Paige said. "Love you."

"Love you too." Piper said softly.

----

The sun was rising now, and Prue had finally drifted to sleep an hour ago, once Phoebe had woken up. Long ago they'd gotten into the habit of taking it in turns to stay awake, to keep a look out. So Phoebe looked out of the window at the sun rise, listening out for sounds of the man she'd once called "daddy".

Her thoughts turned to her mother, as they did often. She didn't remember her, but from what Prue told her, she had a picture in her mind of her. When she was younger, she'd had fantasies that the police would break the door down and take him away, and that her mum would walk in, pick her up and hug her tightly.

She'd take them home, back to the big pink house Prue had described, and then everything would be better, they'd be back home with the family. They'd get presents for every birthday and Christmas, there'd be no excuses, no Victor saying he couldn't afford any, or they didn't deserve any, or that it was too risky to buy them.

They'd go to school all the time, instead of just for a few weeks every now and then, under different names, sometimes in the wrong year, so as not to arouse suspicsion. They'd be able to make friends, the nightmares would stop, they wouldn't have to share a bed, or sleep on the floor sometimes and they wouldn't have to worry about saying the wrong thing, or doing the wrong thing, or whether the neighbours could see them through the windows.

But now Phoebe was older, and those fantasies had gone. Sure, she was still hoping, still dreaming, but she didn't belive it anymore. Even as she'd wrote down their current address, as she watched Prue write down the address their mother had made her memorise when she was little, as she slipped it into the post box, she hadn't let herself believe anything would happen. And now, it seemed she was right. no one had come. No one had done anything. They were stuck here. Victor had always said that as soon as they were old enough, he'd let them free, but now Prue was seventeen and he hadn't even named a number.

As far as Phoebe was concerned, all hope was lost.


	4. On the Doorstep

Chapter 4 - On the Doorstep

He'd left already, and it was barely nine o' clock. Neither of them knew where he'd gone, neither of them cared. Sat in the small living room, neither spoke. Silence was something they were used to - if they didn't talk, there was less chance of them annoying him. They'd learnt to communicate without words, using expressions and gestures. After a few minutes, Prue got up, walked into the kitchen and returned with a bowl of cereal, which she handed to Phoebe.

"Eat." She said quietly, and Phoebe reluctantly put a spoonful into her mouth, looking up at Prue as she chewed. She tilted her head slightly, looked at Prue questionably, silently asking _What about you?_ Prue shook her head, looked out of the window instead. She wasn't hungry, didn't want to eat. As long as Phoebe was OK, so was she.

----

Holding her sister's arm tightly, Piper led Paige down another street.

"Are we nearly there?" She asked. She'd given up trying to figure out that map, leaving it to Paige to tell her which direction to head. She hesitated when they came to a junction.

"Uh, I - I think... Piper?"

"What?" Piper stopped, looked back at Paige.

"I think this is it." Paige murmured, nodding her head down the street to the left.

"This is it? This is the street?" Piper asked quickly. She was too exited to take in the small houses, the messy gardens.

"I think so." Paige nodded, excitement welling up. "Oh, wow, Piper, this is it."

"OK, OK, calm down." Piper said. "What exactly are we going to say?"

"What if he answers?" Paige added quickly. "Do you think he works, or - or that he's out?"

"I never thought of that." Piper admitted guiltily.

"Me neither." Paige said. "And what if they'd already moved? It's been two weeks..."

"We couldn't help that." Piper murmured. "We had to get the money, and the tickets, and everything together..."

"Do you really think they'll have moved?" Paige said, her eyes wide, sand Piper realised her sister had wanted reassurance. But she couldn't give it.

"Only one way to find out." Piper replied, adjusted the rucksack on her shoulder, and then started down the street. Paige hesitated, them smiled and hurried after her.

Piper didn't slow until she was right on the doorstep. What if he was in? Would he recognise her? But she couldn't back out now, they were so, so close. So she slowly lifted her hand and knocked on the door.

----

Prue jumped as the noise echoed through the house. She and Phoebe looked at each other.

"The police?" Phoebe said hopefully.

"Probably a salesman." Prue said. "Or - maybe someone to see him. Wait here."

"No way." Phoebe replied, and followed closely behind Prue as she headed for the front door. Prue tried to look out of the peephole, but it was too dirty to see through.

"We're not allowed to open the door." Phoebe said quietly.

"Then we better hope he won't find out." Prue replied, then gripped the door handle tightly in her hand. With one quick turn and a pull, she opened the door a tiny crack.

Piper was about to knock again when the door opened. Only a little bit, enough to reveal one blue eye on a slim, white face, framed by dark hair.

"Hi - uh - is your father home?" Piper asked awkwardly. Was this Prue? Prue had blue eyes, she remembered. Slowly, the girl behind the door shook her head, then moved to close the door.

"No - no wait." Paige said, and Piper felt Paige's nails digging into her arm. Piper grabbed the edge of the door to stop it closing, then gave a nervous smile.

"Um, hi - you wouldn't happen to be called Prue Halliwell, would you?" Piper said the shock in the girls' eyes, and she didn't say anything. "Prue... please, say it's you." Piper said softly. The door opened wider and a second girl was revealed, this one with brown hair and eyes.

"Phoebe..." Piper murmured.

"Who are you?" Phoebe demanded, looking from Piper, to Paige, then to Prue.

"I... I'm Piper, and this is Paige." Piper siad softly. "Do you - do you remember us?"

"Piper? Paige?" Phoebe gasped, her brown eyes wide. Prue was silent, though Paige had noticed her eyes widen too. "Prue..." Phoebe whispered.

"I'm sorry, I think you have the wrong house -"

"No, Prue, it's us, it's your sisters." Paige said quickly. "Not surprised you don't recognise me, I was just a baby." She tried to laugh, but her mouth was too dry.

"Paige." Prue whispered hoarsely, then drifted her eyes over to Piper. "Is it really ...?"

"We've come to take you home." Piper stated. "We got the letter."

"The letter... but what about mum -"

"Please, just get your stuff and come with us." Piper replied. "We'll explain everything -"

"She's dead, isn't she?" Phoebe siad quietly, and Piper nodded slowly. "I'm sorry you had to find out like this." She said, simply because she had nothing else to say.

"He killed her." Prue whispered. "Oh, god, he killed her."

"What? No! It was later, years later. She - she drowned -" Piper stammered. "She never gave up trying to look for you - he - he didn't kill her -"

"Where's Victor?" Paige asked.

"He went out... I don't know when he'll be back." Prue replied. "Any minute." She added.

"Get your things, quickly." Piper ordered. " We'll go to the bus station -"

"We have to bus it home, cos we don't have enough money for more plane tickets." Paige finished. "Hurry."

"We can't do this. He'll kill us."

"No, when we get home, we'll go to the police." Piper said. "Come on, we'll help."

"Prue, we can't stay here!" Phoebe hissed. "This is what we always wanted, always dreamed of -"

"I never wanted a couple of teenage girls to save us!" Prue replied.

"We're your sisters." Piper cut in.

"It won't work, he'll find us -" Prue said.

"We'll move fast." Piper said firmly. "Go. Pack. Quickly." Prue looked at the two of them for what seemed like ever. She had to admire the fact that two of them had travels across the state to get them, to save them.

"OK. OK, wait here. Shout if you see him." Prue said, then disappeared into the house, Phoebe close behind.


	5. Escape Plan

Chapter 5 - Escape Plan

Penny Halliwell twisted her hands together to stop them from shaking, and looked up at the policeman in front of her.

"They won't find them. Not until they come home." She stated, and the police man looked at her sympathetically.

"Ms. Halliwell, I'm sure your granddaughters will be home soon, safe and sound." He said, although he didn't know what would happen.

"Patty - my daughter, the girls' mother, she always used to say that one day they'd be back together, that they'd come home." Penny said. "She used to say that they had such a bond, nothing could keep them apart."

"Did you believe it?"

"Yes. The girls... they were so young when he took them, but they were so close. They'd seem to know what the other was thinking, and they always knew when the other was upset... She made me promise that if anything ever happened to her, I'd make sure the girls new about their sisters, and that I'd keep them safe. I did the first one, but... they're out there all alone and I can't know if they're safe or not."

"They have each other." The policeman said, and Penny nodded.

"Yes... they have each other, and they'll look after each other..."

----

The atmosphere at the bus stop was tense. Very tense. It wasn't just the fear there that caused it; it was the fact that the four teenager girls who were sisters, family, who shared the same blood and DNA, were virtual strangers. Even the way the stood echoed the awkwardness - Paige and Piper at one side, Paige holding Piper's arm tiredly, and Prue and Phoebe at the other side, sat on the small bench, their arms linked. None knew what to say, and each was studying the rest intently.

It was only natural that it would take time to adjust, but at that moment neither pair could imagine ever being as close to the other two as they were to each other. It was too late, too many things had happened, they were separated...

Phoebe shook her head slightly, trying to get the words out of her head. A natural pessimist - or maybe it was life that had made her one - she was imagining things much worse than they were. Sure, things were awkward, and sure, not a word had been spoken in the last half-hour, but what to you say to the family you haven't seen in thirteen years, the sisters you don't remember?

"What time will the bus get here?" Phoebe asked, trying to make some conversation, any at all.

"Soon." Piper said, searching for something else to say. But the only thing she could think of, she didn't want to say. She wanted to ask about Victor, what he was like, but didn't want to upset them. It could wait, right?

"What's our grandmother like, then?" Prue asked. "I can barely remember her... I remember she used to teach us songs and nursery rhymes that no one else knew..."

"The woogy." Piper remembered with a smile. "She used to tell us about the woogy man all the time, and how to get rid of it."

"The boogieman?" Phoebe repeated. "The monster that lives in the basement?" She suppressed a shudder - strange that a childhood fear would still affect her now.

"Yep." Paige smiled. "There was a song in that too. Grams must have been very musical."

"What's Victor like?" Piper blurted suddenly, and wished she hadn't, as both Prue and Phoebe's faces hardened.

"I don't think you want to know." Prue said quietly.

"That bad?" Piper murmured.

"Only sometimes." Prue amended. "Sometimes he's fine... but when he's been drinking he gets mad, and... in the last few years he's been drinking a lot."

Piper and Paige looked at each other, neither knowing what to say.

"I can't believe how much we've missed out on." Piper siad after a few seconds, trying to change the subject. "We've grown up, without each other..."

"And mum." Prue murmured, wrongly thinking her sisters wouldn't hear her.

"She never gave up looking, you know." Paige said quietly. "She never gave up hope..."

"I wish she was still alive." Phoebe mumbled. "I wish we could go home to her..."

"I'm sorry... I wish it too." Piper murmured, and Prue glanced nervously around. The street was empty, but the whole idea of being her, in daylight, it scared her. Was he home yet? Did he know they were gone?

"It's here!" Phoebe exclaimed suddenly, and Prue jumped, before realising she was referring to the bus that was pulling up. They were really going to get there, home, the place Prue had all but forgotten.

"Come on." Phoebe tugged at her arm, and Prue followed the others onto the bus, shaking with fear and apprehension.

----

Victor walked into the bungalow, rubbing his eyes tiredly. He walked straight through to the small kitchen and put away the food he'd bought. Just the basics, he was planning on them moving again soon. It had been risky coming so close to San Francisco, back to Patty. But he'd been pretty sure they wouldn't be looking for him here... at least he hoped so.

Sometimes, he wished he'd never started this whole thing. He hadn't even been drunk at the time... just scared, desperate. He'd gone to the house to tell Patty he was going to stop the drinking, that he'd been sober for a whole two weeks now. She had said he was addicted, but he wasn't, he'd given it up for her. He'd asked her if she'd think about taking him back, now that Sam wasn't around anymore. Penny had explained to him a few months before that Sam's bosses had given the two of them an ultimatum - either Sam and Patty stay away from each other forever, never see each other again, or they take the baby away.

It hadn't bothered him that Patty had another kid now. He'd get used to it, she was still just a baby and he'd bring her up as his own. Patty had never really loved Sam anyway, had she? They were meant for each other.

But then when he'd gone to the house and told Patty about the program he was on, and that he wanted them to try again, she'd told him she didn't love him anymore... that she didn't care what he did or didn't do, she wanted him to stay away from her and the girls. And then he'd gotten scared, and the next thing he knew he was driving off with them. It had been a stupid decision, but he was too scared to go back on it then. He'd thought about just dropping them off somewhere, a police station, or a supermarket, somewhere they'd be safe and returned. But he did love them, and it was tearing him apart to be away from Piper, his little girl, the one who'd sat on his knee and sang songs to him. He couldn't face not having Prue and Phoebe with him.

He'd been scared, and worried, and drinking helped him forget it all, how much trouble he'd was in. But he'd always had a temper problem, and under all this stress it was worse... he knew he hit out at the girls sometimes, although he didn't always remember it. But the hate and fear he saw in their eyes when they looked at him, it upset him, which made him drink more...

He'd stop, he had to. They were older now, would want to be moving out soon. And he didn't want to just be left behind, he wanted them to come and visit him...

Yes, he'd stop drinking, and make everything better. And then he'd apologise, properly for everything. And he'd take them back to San Francisco, they could see Patty, and Piper, and the other one, Paige. Patty would understand, she'd always been understanding of him. She wouldn't call the police on him, and they could share the girls. Maybe they could even get back together...

He moved back into the living room, and looked at the half-full bowl of cereal on the floor. That was weird. And... something didn't feel right...

"Girls?" He called, and, now filled with dread, he moved into their bedroom. "Prue? Phoebe? Gir..." He trailed off, noting the emptiness of the room. They weren't here. And neither were their bags. They were gone... they'd gone... He'd lost them, and with them his last chance.

So he did what he always did when things got bad. Filled with misery and dread, he walked back into the kitchen, and took a bottle of beer from the small fridge.


	6. Back Home

Thanks for all the reviews everyone. A few people asked about magic, yes, I think there will be some at some point. Sorry I took so long, been a bit busy over the last few days.

Chapter 6 - Back Home

The bus finally ground to a stop, and the girls looked up, startled.

"Already?" Paige said, sounding exited but slightly disappointed. The whole bus ride had been spent talking, as though they'd left the awkwardness behind. And they didn't feel like strangers anymore... Acquaintances. But it was a start.

The four of them jumped down, Piper and Paige smiling sleepily, Prue and Phoebe smiling nervously.

They walked quickly through the streets, and Piper felt like it was something out of a particularly cheesy TV show - the sun shining, the birds singing, everyone smiling a skipping along... well, actually she couldn't hear any birds singing, just the sound of traffic, and no one was skipping, but that whole feeling was there.

They turned down their street finally, and Paige gasped at the sight of the police car outside their house.

"The police?" Piper murmured. "What should we do?"

"Wait." Prue replied. "They'll make us answer all kinds of questions, and right now I don't want to."

"What if someone's staying with her?" Phoebe asked nervously.

"Back door?" Paige suggested, and Piper nodded.

"OK, come on then, this way." Piper said, and started to lead the rest of them.

Prue and Phoebe looked around themselves as they walked, smiling nervously as they looked around their old neighbourhood, their old home... and maybe, now their new home?

"Shh." Piper commanded at the back door, despite the fact that no one was speaking. She opened it gently, stepped forward. Prue gasped as she entered, explained quickly that she remembered it.

"Wait here." Piper ordered the others. "I'll go first and check it out." She disappeared out of the door without another word, and walked quietly through the dining room and into the hall, carefully stepping on the rugs so her shoes didn't make a noise of the hardwood floors. She slipped into the parlour, and peered through the doors that lead into the living room. Grams was alone, thankfully, stood at the window looking out, with her back to Piper. Smiling excitedly, trying to picture Grams face when the four of them made their appearance, Piper hurried back into the kitchen.

"All clear." She smiled, and Paige stepped forward. Prue and Phoebe, however, hesitated.

"What if she doesn't want to see us?" Prue asked awkwardly, voicing both sisters' fears.

"What? Of course she will!" Paige hissed. "You're her granddaughters... you should hear how she talks about you, she misses you just as much as mum did!"

"Come on, we can't stand her forever." Piper said.

"We'll go in first." Paige decided.

"While you two wait outside the room." Piper added.

"Then you can walk in and surprise her." Paige finished.

"You've thought this through." Phoebe commented.

"For about four years." Piper nodded. Then she turned than started walking, Paige next to her, Prue and Phoebe a step or two behind. They were almost at the living room door when Grams walked out, startling them all and ruining the plan.

"Girls." Penny stated, barely noticing the two others, who had shrank further back instantly.

"Uh, we're home." Paige said, nervously. Grams stepped forward quickly, hugged them both tightly, then stepped back and eyed them sternly.

"Do you know how worried I've been?" She said her voice quiet and steady, but angry. "How could you go off like that in the middle of the night, all alone? You didn't even tell me where you were going!"

"You'd have stopped us -" Piper began, but Grams cut her off, obviously building up to a long rant.

"Of course I would have! Two teenage girls going for a little trip in the middle of the night? I shouldn't have had to stop you, you should have known better! A note, just a note, telling me not to worry or call the police, that you'd be fine and you'd be back as soon as you could, no details! Of course I had to call the police, you - you -" Piper had turned, grabbed hold of Prue's arm and pulled her forward, along with Phoebe.

"Grams please stop shouting and let us introduce you." Piper said calmly. "Meet Prudence and Phoebe Halliwell, you're long lost granddaughters."

Penny froze, looking at them. She's known, she just known this was why they'd gone, that they had some kind of reason to believe they knew where Prue and Phoebe was, but she'd never expected them to bring them home...

But they had, and she recognised them instantly. Sure, they were bigger, older, but there was no mistaking their faces, their eyes...

"Prue... Phoebe..." She murmured.

"That's right." Paige said. "You always said they'd be home some day."

"You... you did it." Penny whispered, then reached out and hugged them tightly, tighter than she had Piper or Paige, unable to believe it, that they were really home.

_They did it, Patty, they're home._

---

"You wont find him." Prue said solemnly to the officer in front of her. "He'd managed to hide from you for thirteen years, with two kids with him. Alone, he can do it forever."

"Ms. Halliwell, we've already alerted L.A.P.D, they're on their way to his address as we speak."

"He'll already be gone." Phoebe told him. "Probably in another state right now."

"Don't you want them to catch him?" Paige asked, curiously, not sounding judgmental.

"Look, he might not have made the best choices, but he's still our dad." Prue said. "I wont be upset if you catch him... but I wont be if you don't, either."

"It doesn't matter." Piper nodded. "It doesn't matter if they catch him or not. They're home now, that's all that matters."


	7. Family?

Heya guys sorry its been so long. I hurt my wrist at the begining of last week and did "soft tissue damage" (not a clue what it means) and I had to rest it, so no computer. But I'm back!

Chapter 7 - Family

**Two weeks later.**

Prue walked down the stairs and into the kitchen, dismayed to find that once again she was the firs tone up, other than Grams.

"Hi, Prue." Grams said brightly, and Prue nodded awkwardly.

"Morning." She mumbled. Grams was making an effort, a big one, as were Piper and Paige, but she found it hard to accept this whole thing. She was used to it just being her and Phoebe, with Victor around sometimes. Now, suddenly, she was sharing a room with two more people, and her long-lost Grandmother, with no idea where her father was. The police hadn't caught him, yet, but Prue wondered how long he would run for. He'd once told her, a long time ago, that when she and Phoebe were older and had left him, he might as well give himself up to the police, with nothing else to live for.

"Did you sleep well?"

"Great." Prue lied. The truth was she had hardly slept at all over the last two weeks unable to settle. Plus, whenever she did sleep, Phoebe would wake her up by climbing in next to her.

"Prue... I... maybe you and Phoebe should think about counselling -" Penny said carefully.

"No way. We're fine. Really."

"Well, a friend of mine mentioned family therapy sessions -"

"No." Prue said firmly, and Penny surprised a smile.

"You remind me a lot of myself, Prue." Penny told her. "Your mother always used to say we were alike, but I never saw it... until now."

"That's great." Prue said. "Uh, actually Grams I wanted to talk to you about something..."

"Prue, I know you don't want to go to school, but you have to. You have another two weeks before the school year starts, so please just enjoy them and stop worrying."

"Phoebe and I have never attended school for more than three weeks at a time. Sometimes he enrolled us into the wrong years, so no one would know who we were. We... we wont be as smart as the other people in our years." The last part was barely audible.

"I know that. And so does the school. If you need any help, just ask the teachers, no one will think anything of it."

"Sure they won't." Prue muttered, then spun on her heel and walked out of the room.

----

"School isn't that bad." Paige said, and received withering looks from all three of her sisters. The four of them were sat on the steps outside the manor. "OK, so it's not great. But it's survivable, honest."

"What are you so worried about?" Piper asked. "I know it's not the best thing in life, but you guys seem... almost scared." Neither Prue nor Phoebe spoke, and Piper and Paige exchanged looks.

"This whole sister thing... it wont work out if we keep secrets from each other." Paige said.

"This'll take some getting used to, but we can do it. So come on, what is it?" Piper coaxed.

"Promise you won't laugh?" Phoebe mumbled, and when Piper and Paige nodded, she looked at the floor. "See, the thing is, we didn't go to school regularly. We only know the basics... I mean, we can read and write and add up, but... well, we won't fit in. People will think we're stupid."

"They won't. Look, people around here know all about you. Everyone at school knows who you are, and, well, Paige and I sometimes get a lot of attention over it. They'll understand, really..."

"So you don't think anyone there will give us a hard time?" Prue asked, her eyebrow raised.

"OK, so some of them will. But you'll soon catch up... we'll help you, we'll help you study." Piper promised.

"Really?" Phoebe sounded surprised, and Piper nodded.

"That's what families do." Paige said. "They help each other out."

"Family." Phoebe echoed quietly. "Yeah..."

----

"Oh, Patty, you should see them together." Penny smiled. "They're already so close, just like they used to be."

"I'm glad." Patty smiled. Floating several inches above the floor, the candles around her shining through her transparent body, Patty smiled wistfully. "I wish I could see them." She sighed.

"One day. But they're not ready, not yet."

"I know. Look after them, mum." Patty murmured.

"I will do." Penny promised. "You will see them, someday. I promise you..."

----

Dinner that night made Penny smile the whole way through. Her four granddaughters chattering away, giggling and joking. She knew then that nothing could ruin this...

A loud banging on the door made silence fall over the room, and Penny's smile vanish. It sounded again, and Prue and Phoebe automatically gripped hands under the table.

"It's him." Prue murmured. She'd been expecting this, for the last two weeks she'd been waiting.

"Wait here." Penny ordered, then walked into the hallway.

"Wait here." Piper repeated to her sisters, then hurried to the kitchen door. She put her head into the hallway so she could watch, and was soon joined by Paige. Prue and Phoebe stayed sat at the table, not daring to move.

"What if he takes us back...?" Phoebe mumbled.

Penny opened the door, just a crack, and recognised him instantly. Sure, his brown hair was speckled with grey, his eyes looked dull, tired and were framed by lines that aged him more than he was, and his clothes hung off of him, as though he had lost weight recently. His face was pale, unshaven, and he smelt, even from a foot away, faintly of drink.

"Victor..."


	8. Letting Go, Moving On

Chapter 8 - Letting Go, Moving On

"Get away from here, now." Penny said, her voice low as not to alarm the girls - unaware Piper and Paige were watching - but as menacing as could be.

"Penny?" He croaked, and he smiled widely. "You haven't changed a bit!"

"I'm warning you, leave. Now." Penny said, her eyes narrowed. She'd never liked him, and if her granddaughters weren't in the other room, she would have hit him for what he did.

"Are they here?" He asked, looking past her best he could.

"Who?" Penny asked innocently.

"Let me in, just let me in." He stepped forward, but she stepped forward, looked him in the eye. "I want to see my daughters." He snapped, and for a moment looked as though he'd push her aside - but he quickly thought better of it. He knew first hand the kind of things Penny could do...

"Penny, please, I just want to know that they're safe. I swear I'm not going to take them again, I just want to know they're OK..."

"Why? You never cared before."

"I always made sure they were safe." He snapped. "Is Patty here? Let me talk to Patty."

"Patty?" Penny looked at him, almost in sympathy. "You don't know, do you?"

"Know what?" He asked her, his eyes widened with fear. "What?"

Penny knew Victor had loved her daughter. She'd never been able to deny that. And all those years ago, she almost understood why he'd done what he'd done. As a parent, she knew you do whatever you can to keep your kids with you, always.

"Victor... she's dead." Penny said quietly. "She died three years after you took the girls." His legs gave way, he fell against the wall.

"Dead?" He repeated. "No... god no... not Patty..."

"I - I'm sorry -" Penny said automatically. He looked at her, shook his head.

"I'm sorry. You lost your daughter... the girls lost their mother... I should never have taken them. I'm so sorry..."

"Victor, listen to me. They're safe, OK? And I'll make sure they stay safe. Now, leave, or I call the police."

"I... Yes. Thank you." He turned to leave, then turned back. "Tell them - tell them I love them, OK? And Piper. I always did..."

She watched him walked slowly sown the steps, then up the street before closing the door.

"It's over." She murmured.

----

"I didn't remember what he looked like." Piper said quietly. "At least, I don't remember him looking like that."

"Well, he's changed." Prue murmured. "The hair, the weight, the wrinkles..."

"The drink?" Penny mumbled. Prue nodded.

"It - it wasn't like that at first. At first it was... was fun. I missed you and mum, and Piper and Paige, but he would give us ice-cream, and cake, and whatever we wanted for dinner." She smiled vaguely. "Anything, even if it wasn't good for us. But when we said we wanted to go home, he'd shout. And then he started drinking and he'd shout more..." She trailed off, embarrassed by the look of horror on her sisters' and grandmother's faces. "It wasn't all bad..." She mumbled. Next thing she knew, she was being hugged, by her grandmother, like when she was little. A real hug, not a "I'm so glad to see you!" hug, but a warm, comforting one. She clung to her, not wanting it to end. She couldn't remember hugs like this. Just Phoebe, never from an adult... like a mother.

Grams released her, then hugged Phoebe. Prue watched her little sisters face light up, and smiled. For the first time, she truly believed they could get through this, and be that family everyone kept talking about...

----

School. It's not as bad as TV and books make out.

It's worse.

Phoebe stared as the huge building in disgust, wishing she could just run away. the graffiti on the gate, the huge crowd of people, the looks and whispers already... If Piper wasn't clinging to her, she would spin around and run for it.

Everyone looked around as they walked forwards. She saw people pointing, and the whispers were plenty, making her think of the wind in the trees...

"Nearly there." Paige mumbled on her other side. "Almost..."

----

"Do you think they're OK?" Patty asked nervously.

"I'm sure they are." Penny replied to the ghostly form of her daughter.

"What if the other kids hassle them?"

"Patty. Do you think any granddaughter of mine, any child of yours, would be unable to stand up for themselves?" Penny asked, hiding her own doubts badly. "I'm sure they're fine..."

----

Frustrated, Prue scribbled out the sum she had been working on, covering the several lines of numbers. She heard an explosion of laughter at the other side of the room, and tried to convince herself it wasn't because of her. The work had been deemed as "simple" by the maths teacher - a short, blading man, who Prue hated with passion.

"Everything OK, Prudence?" She hadn't even realised he was stood next to her.

"Fine." She snapped, sending him a dirty look. It was only her first lesson - second period, however, as she and Phoebe had spent the first hour having an induction to the school. Maybe it was because she had been dreading school since Grams first brought it up, but she hated it, everything about it.

"I'll help you." The teacher said, then sat himself down in the vacant chair next to her. "Look, all you have to do it..."

People were watching, and she hated it, but she listened anyway because she knew she needed to learn this crap. _If this is life, it sucks._

----

Phoebe couldn't have been more different. People had been sympathetic, she had understood more that she'd though she would, and, now, sat in English, she felt confident enough to answer "Yes" when the English teacher, Mrs. Flower, asked her if she wanted to read aloud.

She read the paragraph shakily, but she did it, and received warm praise. Smiling to herself, she turned the page. "It isn't so bad." She mumbled.

----

"OK, so now you need to divide that number by that one." The boy told Prue. She punched the buttons on the calculator, and held it out for him to see.

"Is it right?" She asked.

"Does it look right?"

"I think so..." Prue murmured, looking at the figure.

"You're right. It is." His face cracked into a grin, and she smiled, a faraway expression taking over her face.

"What?" He asked. "What are you thinking?"

"I'm remembering you..." Prue smiled. Only half-an-hour ago, he'd walked into the class, late because of a dentist appointment, and he'd walked straight over to her and introduced himself. Andy. Little Andy who she used to play with, before it happened. He'd told her he'd wanted to come over to the manor since he'd heard, but he figured they'd want sometime alone first. Or, at least, his mother did.

"You've changed." She joked, and was delighted when he grinned again. She always liked to make him laugh... they were best friends, and once they'd agreed to marry one day.

"Do you remember when we decided we were going to marry each other?" He asked, and she nodded.

"I was just thinking about that. Your dad told us that everyone got married one day."

"And I said that all girls were yucky, excpet you." Andy continued.

"And I said all boys were gross, except you."

"So we decided we'd marry each other and then we wouldn't have to marry anyone else." He finished.

"I went home and told mum, and she said it wouldn't surprise her if we did." Prue smiled.

"I... I really missed you, when you were gone." He told her. "I was just a kid, but it was like a part of me was missing... I always felt that way." He added quietly.

"I missed you to." She replied. "And..." She smiled, lowered her voice. "I still think all boys are gross. Except you."

"And I still think all girls are yucky. Except you."

"Why don't you come over for dinner tonight?" She suggested. "Grams wouldn't mind."

"Sure. I'll be there. Time?"

"Same as it always was." Prue grinned.

Maybe, just maybe, life wasn't all that bad after all.


	9. An Uncertain Ending

Chapter 9 - An Uncertain Ending

Penny smiled as she watched them. It was just like when they were little, and if she used her imagination, she could pretend it had always been this way...

Dinner was louder and happier than she had ever remembered it, Prue and Andy joking and laughing - and flirting if she wasn't mistaken - Piper, Phoebe and Paige joking and teasing...

It was just as she'd always imagined.

After dinner, Prue and Andy went into the conservatory. It had always been their favourite room, sometimes they'd make Piper and Phoebe stay out so they could play on their own.

Sat on of the sofas, they talked. And then, he went quiet.

"I really, really missed you." He mumbled. "And seeing you again has been amazing."

"Ditto."

"Prue... I think I still want to marry you one day." He said, and she paused.

"Andy, I don't think I know you well enough to marry you." She joked.

"True." He grinned. "So how about a date?"

"I think I could manage that." She agreed.

----

"Andy?" Patty repeated. "Little Andy Trudeau?"

"The very same." Penny nodded. "She got home an hour ago, all smiles, and I heard her telling her sisters she had a great time."

"She always said she'd be with him some day." Patty grinned. "Promise me, mum, if they get married you'll get me down there. Anyway, anyhow."

"I promise." Penny nodded. "We're getting their, Patty. They're happier, they're closer... they're home."

"I know. Who'd have thought our little girls would get themselves back together, huh?" Patty said wearily.

"It's the best thing that could have happened. I know you want to meet them, Patty, but..."

"I know. Just... as soon as they're ready for their powers, you - you bring them up here."

"I will."

----

It was the dead of the night, and all were asleep. Prue was dreaming she was in a field with Andy, when suddenly the dream changed. A woman with long brown hair and hazel eyes was in front of her, holding her hands.

"Prue..." She whispered, her face shining with tears. "You're all grown up..."

"Mum?" Prue gasped.

"Yes..." Patty placed a hand on her daughter's cheek. It took a lot of energy to enter her dreams, but it was worth it, just to see her, to hold her. "I love you, my darling. I am so proud of you... You held to together, protected you're little sister... I'm sorry I'm not here for you."

"It's OK." Prue said, crying silently too. "I have Grams, and Phoebe, and Piper and Paige."

"I know. And I'll always be here." And then she faded away.

She went to Phoebe and said pretty much the same thing, amazed by how her baby had grown. And then to Piper, and Paige, whom she had visited a few times before. It amazed her how they'd done it, got themselves back together after so long...

----

Three days later, the four sisters walked in to the manor together, and stopped dead. Two police officers - a man and a woman - were stood with Grams in the foyer.

"Oh, girls." Grams murmured. "Go sit in the living room, I'll be in in a minute." She said shakily.

"We'll see ourselves out, Ms. Halliwell." The WPC said quietly. "Go ahead." Grams herded them into the living room as the police left, where they sat uneasily on the couch.

"What? What's happened?" Piper quickly. "Grams?"

"It's... its Victor." She said quietly.

"Have they caught him?" Phoebe asked. Grams shook her head, her lips pressed into a tight white line, her face strangely pale.

"Grams? What's happened? What's he done?" Paige asked, moving to sit next to her grandmother. "Grams?"

"Victor... Victor was taken into hospital a few hours ago." Grams said shakily. "He - uh, he took an overdose. I don't remember what - I'm sorry - someone found him in the - in the street."

"He'd dead, isn't he?" Prue whispered. Slowly, Grams nodded.

"He died an hour ago. I - I'm sorry. No matter what he did, he was still your dad..."

"We should hate him." Prue mumbled. "We shouldn't care at all... but I still remember what he was like before..."

"It's OK to be sad, to grieve. He was a good father... before..."

"I don't know how to feel." Prue stated. "That man who used to swing me around and slip me sweets before dinner, and tell me I was a princess... I always hoped he'd be back..." The five of them fell into one big, messy hug. None knew how to feel, or what would happen next.

"Just remember... we'll always be here for each other..." Piper murmured. "Always..."

* * *

**The end. I know I didn't warn the story would be over, but I just felt it was done. So, thanks for each and every brilliant review, drop me one last one, and I hope you'll follow me onto any future projects...**


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